To communicate with providers in Provider Search, you can use our embedded messaging feature. With it, you can:
- Message providers with questions or new business inquiries
- Send text messages to mobile phones of business owners via SMS
- Reduce unnecessary cold calls and speed up your engagement with a provider
All conversations are initiated either on the Discovery Search Results page or provider’s profile page, and all messages can be found in the Messaging Center.
Starting a Chat with a Provider
Find a provider you want to start a chat with, and click Message.
![](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-PS-ClickMessage.png?version=1&modificationDate=1726148541117&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=600&height=275)
- In the chat pop-up that appears, type your message, and click Send.
Alternatively, press Enter on the keyboard. Your message is sent to the provider.
![Type the message and click Send Type the message and click Send](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-Provider%20Search-Start%20achat%20with%20a%20provider.png?version=1&modificationDate=1619185162362&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=554&height=305)
To invite a provider to your Private Network from the chat, click the + Invite button in the upper-right corner of the chat pop-up.
![Invite button Invite button](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-Provider%20Search-Invite%20button.png?version=1&modificationDate=1619185849039&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=424&height=71)
The Create Invitation page opens.
Further Communication with Providers
To continue your communication with the provider, go to the Messaging Center. To access it, click the chat icon
in the upper-right corner of any page of Service Automation.
![Picture showing the chat icon Picture showing the chat icon](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-ProviderChat-Icon.png?version=1&modificationDate=1666344657249&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=1000&height=77)
- Click the chat icon
in the upper-right corner of any page in Service Automation. The chat page appears.
![Picture showing the chat page Picture showing the chat page](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-ProviderChat-Window.png?version=1&modificationDate=1666344729219&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=800&height=467)
- Select a company that you reached out to earlier. If needed, use the Search field to find the required provider.
- Type your message.
- Click Send. Alternatively, press Enter on the keyboard. Your message is sent to the provider.
![Picture showing the chat with unread messages Picture showing the chat with unread messages](https://servicechannel.atlassian.net/wiki/download/thumbnails/1801880229/SS-SA-ProviderChat-BlueDots.png?version=1&modificationDate=1666344838378&cacheVersion=1&api=v2&width=600&height=450)